1964 was a year of many firsts – The Rolling Stones released their first album, the first Ford Mustang was manufactured, Martin Luther King received the Nobel Peace Prize, and Joseph “Joe” Cooney, alongside eight other young men, arrived at St. Thomas University, then called Biscayne College, for their first day of class.

Before Col. Jacquelin Kelly passed away from cancer in 2014, she bequeathed a generous gift to STU’s Athletic Program. Jacquelin, a lifelong athlete and coach, held a strong belief that women should participate in competitive sports and pursue higher education, and in recognition of her gift, the university dedicated “The Col. Jacquelin Kelly Field” at the St. Thomas Softball Complex.